Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

An Ning wasn’t surprised by Xiao Lang’s human-like knocking on the window. In fact, she looked on with a fond indulgence, as if it were a matter of course.

”Coming right out.”

After speaking, An Ning pulled the curtains shut with a SWISH. She tidied herself up in the room and prepared to come out.

In the courtyard, Jiang Xia and the others watched Xiao Lang with curiosity.

”This little guy seems even smarter than Da Huang.”

”WOOF!”

Da Huang let out a disapproving bark, making Jiang Xia’s expression change in an instant. ”But Da Huang is still the best,” he amended quickly.

Jiang Xia cupped Da Huang’s face, certain he saw disdain in its eyes.

To the side, Uncle Jiang looked from Da Huang to Xiao Lang as the little wolf jumped down from the windowsill, finding the whole scene thoroughly entertaining.

”Both of them are clever.”

They were as smart as humans.

A moment later, An Ning came out and stood by the door. The waiting Xiao Lang instantly changed its demeanor; there was even a tear clinging to the corner of its eye.

An Ning bent down, and Xiao Lang leaped, landing steadily in her arms. She wiped the tear from the corner of its eye with a finger, looking at it, at a loss for words.

”You’re really pulling out all the stops, huh? Actual tears?”

An Ning looked Xiao Lang in the eye and said seriously, ”I think you could be an actor and make money.”

Xiao Lang, nestled in An Ning’s arms, completely ignored her words. It just found the most comfortable position and gazed haughtily at Da Huang, as if to say, ’You big dummy, what’s so great about being huge!’

”WOOF WOOF WOOF!”

After barking at Xiao Lang several times, Da Huang turned and leaped at Jiang Xia. Jiang Xia spread his arms, and Da Huang jumped into his embrace in a rather unique posture.

The scene was a picture of a slender young man with an enormous dog head and butt in his arms.

”AHAHAHAHAHA! Jiang Xia, you’ve got a beauty in your arms!”

An Ning mocked Jiang Xia without mercy, and Jiang Xia could only wear a helpless expression.

Nearby, Uncle Jiang looked from one to the other as if he had just discovered a new world.

”Da Huang, Da Huang, I really can’t hold you anymore.”

Jiang Xia, whose arm was already injured, quickly let go. Da Huang landed on all fours, shot him a disdainful look, then picked up the leash from the ground and handed it to Jiang Xia.

”Time for a walk?”

Jiang Xia received a nod from Da Huang in response. Resigned to his fate, he took the leash and headed out the door to begin a walk where it wasn’t clear who was walking whom.

An Ning, from her wheelchair, patted Xiao Lang’s rear and asked, ”Are you still going or not?”

Xiao Lang’s gaze swept over An Ning’s wheelchair and legs, its meaning self-evident.

”So I’ve been snubbed.”

An Ning ruffled Xiao Lang’s fur a little forcefully, and the little wolf whimpered.

”Serves you right for being snubbed. Give him to me. I’ll take him out for a walk.”

Lin Cuihua came out of the house, casually scooped up Xiao Lang, and said to An Sancheng, who was also in the courtyard, ”You can’t do anything right.”

An Sancheng looked utterly wronged but couldn’t get a word out, as Lin Cuihua had already left with Xiao Lang.

And so, the morning’s cheerful little drama came to a close.

An Ning went to wash up. Grandpa Jiang and Uncle Jiang continued their exercises, with An Sancheng tagging along to learn a move or two. Inside the kitchen, Master Tang was bustling about.

Half an hour later, there was a knock at the courtyard gate. Luo Li’s mother had arrived. After a brief greeting with everyone, she left with a bag.

The gene test results would probably be ready that evening or the next day. An Ning was a little excited, feeling the thrill of being about to uncover a big secret.

Another ten minutes passed, and Jiang Xia returned with Da Huang.

An Ning, in the center of the courtyard, looked behind Jiang Xia and asked, ”Did you see my mom?”

”No, I’ll go look for her.”

Jiang Xia turned to leave, but before he could even get out the gate, he saw Lin Cuihua returning with Xiao Lang on a leash.

”Mom, what took you so long?”

”Oh, don’t even ask. I don’t know when I dropped my keys. I had to go back and search all over for them. Luckily, a young man found them and was waiting for me by the road.”

Lin Cuihua unfastened the collar from Xiao Lang’s neck. Seeing An Ning’s worried expression, she said, ”Don’t you worry about me. I don’t go far, just around the neighborhood. I’ve been out for groceries a few times already.”

”Okay. Next time, take Dad with you.”

Lin Cuihua didn’t refuse. She agreed and went to wash her hands.

A moment later, Master Tang called everyone to eat.

A special nutritious congee had been prepared specifically for the two patients.

Jiang Xia and An Ning were very cooperative, finishing the entire pot of congee down to the last drop.

Master Tang held up the empty, clean pot, paused for a moment, and said, ”I meant for that to last you for breakfast and lunch.”

The two of them, stuffed to the brim, stared dumbfounded at the smiling Master Tang, feeling utterly duped.

’But this morning, didn’t he say he cooked the congee specially for the two of them?’

Master Tang didn’t explain, only saying he would make more in a little while.

Feeling like their stomachs were about to explode, the two of them struggled to suppress the urge to burp. They looked at Master Tang and said, ”But didn’t we just finish breakfast?”

”I know. But patients need to eat more, don’t they? Five meals a day is just right.”

’Five meals a day?’

’Are we doing postpartum confinement or something?’

At the same time, Jiang Xia and An Ning realized something: everyone was not very happy about their discharge from the hospital.

’No wonder they agreed so readily yesterday.’

Unfortunately, it was too late. The two of them put on perfect, fake smiles and told Master Tang that sounded great.

After breakfast, Jiang Xia and An Ning were in the living room, each flipping through a book.

For the entire day, the two of them didn’t even get a chance to move. As for An Ning’s idea from last night about going to class and the library, it had been vetoed by Lin Cuihua.

As Lin Cuihua’s old saying went: ”It takes a hundred days to recover from a serious injury to bone or muscle. Even if you two don’t rest for a hundred days, you need to rest for at least a month.”

Under Lin Cuihua’s autocratic rule, the two began their life of recuperating at home.

An Guoping, who came over in the afternoon when he had no classes, was entrusted with a heavy responsibility upon his departure: to go to the library and borrow books for the two of them.

An Ning found the rare, quiet time a little hard to get used to.

After finishing another book, she looked at Jiang Xia, who seemed to be enjoying it more than she was, and asked, ”Aren’t you anxious to get out? Xiao Xian is definitely going to make a move.”

SNAP. Jiang Xia closed his book and said calmly, ”No rush. We’ll decide what to do after the news is out.”

”Actually,” Jiang Xia said, ”if you really insisted on going out, Auntie wouldn’t stop you.”

An Ning let out a long sigh. ”I know, but I’d feel guilty.”

Jiang Xia looked at An Ning fondly. What he didn’t say was that he was truly enjoying this quiet day.

More importantly, An Ning was part of this quiet time.

He could see her just by looking up, know she was there from the sound of her voice, and even hear her soft breathing. This kind of tranquil time was something the two of them had never had before.

”RING RING RING—”

The urgent ringing of the phone sounded, and An Ning wheeled herself over to answer it.

”Hello?”

”Are you sure?”

”Okay, thank you. Please keep this confidential.”

An Ning hung up the phone, her eyes gleaming with the light of someone who had just heard some earth-shattering gossip.

Jiang Xia sensed it and asked, ”It’s confirmed? Our guess was right?”